Keep Holding On
by igotsaflobbit
Summary: Will has been rescued from teh Temujai, but the price was his memories. Now he's having strange dreams about a sinister polt that could spell disater for Araluen, unless he can remember in time. SEQUEL TO DEAD RANGERS TELL NO TALES.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The men were talking in a language he didn't know, but he understood them anyway.

"You're positive that the boy will remember nothing?" one asked.

"Positive, that arrow was coated in crushed fireweed," the other replied.

"So he won't be able to tell those dratted Rangers what he learned of us? Pity we couldn't kill him… After all…dead Rangers tell no tales."

"Yes, yes. We did the next best thing. I heard the boy had been exposed to fireweed while he was one of those Skandian yard slaves. It may very well kill him to be exposed again. So the Rangers just might have an unexplained death on their hands."

Who were they talking about? What boy? Was it him? He was young… It couldn't be, he would remember those men…Or would he?

_You have no memory, Will. This is a dream. A premonition of sorts. Regaining your memory could be dangerous… Will you take the risk? Or will you fight your friends efforts? Decide now…_

The voice was a comforting whisper.

"Could my friends be in danger if I don't remember?" he asked the voice.

_Yes. Those men are plotting terrible things. They must be stopped. You have the knowledge, but they stole your memory, your healer friend was worng, you aren't suppressing it…it was forcibly blocked._

"I have to save my friends…I want to remember." Will decided.

_Very well, your mind will not resist rememberance…_ The voice faded into silence.

"Well, everyone of them will die anyway, so it doesn't matter if the boy lives or dies as long as he doesn't remember. If that happens, we'll have to kill him." The man seemed to be looking straight at Will as he said this.

"Gah!" Will woke in a cold sweat, but for the life of him, couldn't remember what he'd been dreaming of. Shrugging, he rolled over and went back to sleep, by morning he'd forgotten having the dream at all.


	2. Chapter 1: Memory

**A/N HEEEEY! I'm baaaaack! NEver fear, I will not ever abandon this story, but updates may be slow, I've got a lot of crap to do for school and stuff. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, well, 'cept kel and jon, but, uh, that's it...*tears*  
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Chapter 1: Memory

~Will POV~

_Memory is a funny thing_, Will thought to himself, staring out the window of a cabin he was told he'd lived in before. Of course he didn't remember. He didn't remember anything. He wasn't even sure his name was Will. They all just told him it was. _Things you want to forget, you remember, things you want to remember, you forget._

He remembered waking up with unfamiliar faces all around. They all seemed to know him, though. They all expected him to know them too. But he didn't. Sighing and rubbing his forehead, Will moved away from the window. Walking into the tiny kitchen, he saw a brown satchel open on the table, various herbs spilling out of it.

_There's no way that Halt man just left this here like this_, Will thought. No. Halt was much too careful for that. Shrugging, Will picked up the bag. He set it on one of the shelves above the small stove.

Everyone seemed to know him, they whispered in the village, everywhere he went he was followed by their whispers. He knew they pitied him. They thought he was going to be useless for the rest of his life.

"I won't be. I'll remember, and if I don't, I'll relearn everything," he told himself furiously. He wouldn't let the whispers get to him. If he did that, there would be no point. He'd believe them, believe he would never remember, and then he wouldn't try.

"Will. Will? WILL!"

"Huhwha!"

Kel was standing in front of him, rolling her eyes. Kel was not one of the people he used to know. But she was going to help him remember.

"Anyone there?" she questioned. "We're going to meet up with Jon, and then we'll go to the ward."

Will nodded. The ward. He'd grown up there, orphaned as a babe barely a day old. Kel and her red-headed friend Jonathan lived there as well. They had both been orphaned by the second war against Morgorath, so Will was told. They were going there today so Will could be surrounded by a familiar setting from his childhood. Kel had told them that was the best place to start, at the beginning.

They walked side by side to the edge of the village where Jon was waiting, red hair gleaming in the sunlight. He grinned when he saw them. Well he grinned at Kel anyway. Will knew Jon was still slightly shy around him, he was quiet by nature, but he also was slightly in awe of him too. Apparently, Will had gained a bit of a reputation before his memory loss.

"Ready to go?" Jon asked when they were within hearing distance.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Will replied, swallowing nervously.

Will stood in what he was told used to be his room. Something about it seemed welcoming. Almost familiar, but not quite. Kel and Jon were waiting outside. Will walked to a small window set in the wall near the bed. He saw a tree growing maybe a hundred yards away: a giant oak. _I used to climb that tree, and hide from…someone…a boy. He was bigger and stronger, but I was faster, and smarter. We became better friends…_

Suddenly Will was out the door and running down the hall. He could hear Kel and Jon calling his name from behind him, but he couldn't—wouldn't—slow. Will skidded to a stop in front of another wooden door, much like the one that had guarded the portal to his old room.

"Alyss and Jenny," he whispered. He reached to touch the door, but pulled his hand back at the last moment. Turning, Will saw Kel and Jon had caught up to him. "This was Alyss and Jenny's room," he announced.

Kel smiled slowly. "What else do you remember?" she asked, barely concealing her excitement.

"Well, there was Horace…and George?"

At Kel's nod, Will continued, feeling more confident. "I used to climb that giant oak tree outside my window whenever I wanted to get away from Horace. We didn't get along, because I was so small and wanted to be a knight…He'd tease me. We became best friends after…after… I don't remember."

"Wow. I think we're on the right track with the triggers, Kel," Jonathan commented.

"I think so too," Kel smiled. "I think you'll have your memory back in no time Will, I'm sure of it!"

Will smiled brightly at her. _Oh, I hope so,_ he thought. _I'm desperate to remember._


End file.
